The Golden Flame
by starchaserxonea
Summary: "And as they whisked Lucy away, bloodied and broken, Natsu decided that he didn't like summer." One-shot, completely NaLu, probably some fluff, idk. Set in real world.


_I really don't know where this came from. Honestly. FT is owned by the one and only… *drum roll* …. Hiro Mashima-sensei! (sorry if there's spelling shit or grammatical shit. too lazy to proof-read. XD)_

* * *

They met in November. Snow was blanketing the ground, the sky was gray, and it was snowing softly. The little flakes were drifting from the sky, and in a park, a girl was twirling around in a black jacket. Her blonde hair was flying about and she was smiling up at the sky. That's when he appeared. His pink hair was sticking in every direction and his posture screamed delinquent, but she just stopped twirling, but instead of dropping her smile, it brightened.

"Hey! I'm Lucy!" She smiled, and stuck out her bare hand, and he shook it hesitantly.

"I'm Natsu," He responded before shoving his gloved hand back in his hoodie pocket. She suddenly spread her arms out and looked up at the sky again; her smile was radiant and infectious, but Natsu was soon smiling softly too.

"It's so beautiful," She murmured, catching snowflakes in her hands and watching them melt away instantly. Natsu walked a little closer to her and shook his head, snow flying everywhere and mixing with his pink locks.

"It's so cold," He responded, glaring at the frozen mess around them. Lucy giggled and nodded, agreeing with him.

"So you don't like winter then?" Lucy asked; her voice tinged with a slight bit of sadness. Natsu frowned and scratched his head.

"I don't know; I prefer warmer seasons," He muttered, staring at the odd girl before him, who had a sad smile on her face. Suddenly, she started singing a song. He frowned, but leaned closer to hear her, since she was being quiet.

"_It was hard to  
look at you last night  
as the snow fell  
softly to the ground._

_Your haunted, dark eyes  
betrayed an alluring light  
as I discovered myself  
to be found._

_And even as the stars  
were raining down  
we couldn't utter  
a single sound. _

_Because your deep eyes  
had captured all the broken smiles,  
and every ivory feather fell  
for a few more miles."_

Natsu stood there for a few moments as silence enveloped them in shock. Her voice was something to be envied.

"Where did you learn that? It was beautiful," He said honestly, earning a sad smile from her.

"It was a song my mother used to sing to me – it was the ballad that made me fall in love with winter." She murmured, reaching out to catch another white snowflake unsuccessfully. Natsu let a smile tug at the corner of his lips as he watched the beautiful girl standing in front of him.

"Maybe I can try to like winter."

* * *

It was spring when he first kissed her. They were under Magnolia trees, and it was actually a normal day at the park. She was giggling and he was eating something and in general, they were having a fun time. That is, until he suggested they go for a walk and got them lost.

"Natsu, you have no idea where we are, do you?" She asked, trying not to laugh at the young boy as he stared at his iPhone map.

"Shush, I know exactly where we are," He muttered, glaring at the glowing screen. "We need to take a left here," He suddenly said, dragging her across the street and trying to ignore the darkening sky. She sighed and stifled another giggle.

"So you want to take me to a strip club, then?" She asked, outright laughing when he turned to look at her with incredulous eyes.

"Where did you get that idea?!"

Hesitantly, she pointed the sign that had the silhouette of a scantily-clad woman that read: "Big boobs, big booties, and big service!" Natsu pressed his palm to his forehead and clicked off the phone, tucking it in his pocket with a defeated sigh.

"I'm lost," He admitted, looking at her with puppy-eyes, and she just smiled and linked her arm through his.

"That's alright; we can just stay at a hotel or something until morning." She responded, instantly making him feel better.

"Yea, we don't want to be out after dark, especially in this part of town…" He muttered, trailing off. Lucy just shrugged.

"I'm not worried – oh, there's a motel! Let's go!" She suddenly started running, dragging him along. They quickly walked in and got a dirt-cheap room and as soon as they walked into the plain room, they realized why it was priced like that. Sighing, Lucy kicked off her high-tops and fell down on her back on the bed, smiling.

"We've been walking for a while," She commented, flicking her chocolate eyes towards Natsu, who was just staring at his phone while sitting in an arm-chair. Lucy noticed his red cheeks and frowned. She flipped onto her stomach and stared at him. "You okay? You look sick," She noted, and he shrugged. Natsu stood up and took off his hoodie, tossing it on the chair he had just vacated, and then went and sprawled out on the other side of the bed, pushing Lucy out of the way. She giggled.

"Jerk," She mumbled, but she was smiling. He just flipped her off in response and sighed into his pillow as she hit him. She suddenly flopped down next to him and smiled that radiant, gorgeous smile again.

"You know, you really are weird," He said suddenly, earning a half-hearted glare from her.

"Yea well you're a jerk," She responded and stuck out her tongue. Natsu grinned.

"If you don't put your tongue back in your mouth I'll do it for you," He said with a dark grin, and she just stuck her tongue out farther and chanted "na, na, na-na-na!"

"You asked for it!" He suddenly half-shouted, leaping up and tackling her onto her back, causing her to giggle profusely. Natsu started to tickle her, which morphed her giggles into laughs, and ended up straddling her. A blush was forming on his cheeks, but she either didn't notice or didn't care. She was breathing heavily and still giggling a little bit. Her cheeks were rosy, her blonde hair was tousled and her smile was as beautiful as ever.

That's when he placed a singled hand on the side of her slim neck and ducked his head, his lips brushing against hers. Lucy's brown eyes widened a bit, but almost immediately her arms wrapped around his neck in response. He pulled away and his onyx eyes met warm chocolate, and she grinned, keeping her arms around his neck.

"Took you long enough!"

* * *

It was summer when the worst thing of all happened. They were walking hand-in-hand and Lucy was holding their blue (oddly enough) shelter kitten, whom they named Happy. Suddenly, the blue cat bounded out of her hands and sprinted down the street, and Lucy broke away from Natsu, chasing after the blue cat. Natsu started running after her immediately, but when he got to her… it was too late.

The honking horn came too late.

Natsu's warning scream came too late.

Lucy's shocked lips formed a silent "O" right before the truck slammed into her. Natsu ran and barely caught her before she hit the ground, and he tried to cushion her with his own body as it came crashing down, and it knocked him to the ground. She was bloody; her hair was stained red (already?) and her eyes were frantic. But of course, the one thing she'd say in this state would be the one thing to make Natsu choke out a half-sob half-laugh.

"Is Happy okay?" She asked, staring up at Natsu with pleading eyes. Already, people were gathering around, dialing 9-1-1, standing around, scared to interfere. Natsu's tears were falling onto her cheeks, and he nodded frantically while smiling, his pink hair bobbing.

"Yes, he's fine, of course he is," He responded, kissing her forehead, stroking her shoulder, brushing back her hair – anything to prove that she was still there; still _breathing. _Lucy smiled and nodded.

"I never asked this, Natsu…" She coughed, and a droplet of blood ran from the corner of her mouth, leaving a gruesome trail down her porcelain cheek. Natsu quickly wiped it away and waiting for this question that seemed quite important to her. "Is your hair color natural?"

Natsu burst out laughing and quickly swiped at his eyes, cradling her close and nodding.

"Of course it is – I wouldn't die my hair!" He exclaimed, earning a genuine smile from her. Even with bloodied teeth and lips… it was still the brightest thing he'd seen in his life. She lifted her shaking hand up and wiped hesitantly at his cheeks, with were wet with tears.

"I've never seen you cry… I've decided I don't like it," She murmured, staring up at him with honesty written all over her features. He nodded and gestured to her.

"I've never seen you with blood on your clothes and face and I've decided I don't like it," Natsu responded, and she nodded, letting a little giggle bubble out.

"I don't really like it either…" The sirens were heard in the distance, and her body suddenly tensed up, and she let out a shaking cough.

"Hey – they're almost here. It's okay, just hang on," He said, kissing her nose and rocking her back and forth. She squeaked out a small yes, and the crowd cleared a path for the stretcher.

"Don't come – find Happy," She suddenly asked, holding onto his hand and staring seriously into his onyx eyes. "Look for him," She held out her pinky finger and Natsu's eyes misted over, but he locked his pinky with hers and squeezed.

"I'll find him." Natsu promised.

And as she was carried away by the stretcher, bloodied and broken, Natsu decided that he hated summer.

* * *

Autumn rolled around, and Natsu was at the hospital every day. He snuck in Happy with him to see her, even though she was in a coma, he still talked to her. He kissed her, ate lunch with her, and joked with her, all in the hopes that she could possibly hear him. One day in particular though, he was sitting there watching a soap opera and thinking about how stupid the characters were when he clicked the TV off and turned towards her.

"I've never told you about my family," He suddenly murmured, staring at her beautiful, golden locks and the peaceful expression that was on her face.

"I don't know my real parents. I've only had one foster-parent, but he abandoned me when I was kid. I've been hopping around homes until recently, when I got a job and started living on my own. But my first foster-parent… he was cool. At least, up until he abandoned me. But I distinctly remember him owning a restaurant: it was called The Fire Dragon. And he had a weird name; it was Igneel. He had red hair and his eyes were black. He was so cool… but I don't know why he left." He murmured, his voice trailing off at the end. Happy was curled against Lucy's side, and Natsu was holding her hand, so the blue cat rubbed against Natsu's forearm, purring. Natsu's eyes sprang with tears, and he suddenly dipped his head down so that it was resting on her slender hand.

"I miss you, Lucy. I miss you so much. I never told you this – but I love you. I really do. You just had to get hit by a truck for me to realize it…" He muttered, tears dripping onto the white hospital blanket. "I love you."

It was autumn when Natsu finally realized that he loved her. It just took a year and a tragedy for him to figure it out.

* * *

It was winter when she woke up. Her hair was longer, her eyes were just as beautiful… but the thing her really noticed was her smile.

"Lucy, I'm here again!" He cheered as he walked into the room. Yesterday was the day they first met. It was winter. Snow was covering the ground, and sat down at his usual chair, dropping his backpack to the ground and pulling out a book. "The doctors suggest I read to you – would you like that?" Then Natsu recalled her talking about her extensive book collection. "Nah – you'd love it. Alright; here I go!"

Natsu flipped open the book to the first page of the fairy tale and began reading.

"_There once was a young boy who lived by the river. He fished every day, and sold most of the fish he caught in the little town up the dirt road. One day, the black-haired boy was walking up the street when he saw a young girl with blue hair on the side on the road, crying. He rushed over to her and set down the net of fish, crouching in front of her._

"_Hey! Are you okay?" He asked; worry etching the young man's features. The young girl's curly hair bounced as she suddenly sat up, wiping at her eyes furiously._

"_I'm fine!" She sniffed, looking away from his dark blue eyes and instead focusing on his bare feet. He nodded and reached out his hand, patting her blue head comfortingly. _

"_Well, that's good." He responded, and sat down in front of her. Her sapphire eyes narrowed in concentration._

"_So why are you here then?" She asked as the gray sky above them started to rumble with thunder. "It always rains around me – you should go." The blue-haired girl responded, bringing her knees to her chest and hugging them with her small arms. The young boy shook his head._

"_My mom taught me not to leave a girl if she's crying. And I love it when it rains – it means the fish come out!" He smiled a big, toothy grin and she lifted her head, wiping at her eyes._

"_R-really?" She asked, and he stood up, holding out his hand to her. The young raven-haired boy nodded, grinning._

"_Really! Let's go back to my house and fish!" He offered, and she accepted his hand hesitantly. He pulled her up and slung the net of fish over his shoulder. "I'll race you to my house!" He challenged, and she smiled softly before chasing after him._

"_Okay!" She called, laughing._

_And they lived in that little house for a very, very long time, happily."_

Natsu shut the book with a thud and sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Well that was boring." He commented, sliding the children's book back in his bag and zipping it up. Natsu pulled a folded up piece of paper out of his jeans pocket and slowly unfolded it, gaining an uncharacteristic air of shyness.

"Well, Lucy, this is my anniversary gift to you. I don't know if you'd call this an anniversary or not… but I'm going to. So, I can't sing, but I can try… so here I go, okay? If you happen to wake up, don't laugh." He glared at the blonde half-heartedly before clearing his throat and singing in a deep baritone.

"_It was hard not to  
look for you last night  
as the snow fell  
softly to the ground._

_Your beautiful, bright eyes  
showed me a saving light  
as I struggled to  
make a single sound._

_And as the stars soared down  
from the slate gray sky  
I couldn't help but realize  
that I was found._

_Your amazing heart had  
captured all of the broken smiles,  
and I came upon the only solution;  
I could stumble a few more painstaking miles."_

Natsu's hand was shaking by the time he finished singing the song that he had rewritten for her. He remembered the time she had sang her version, back at the park last year… it was so beautiful. Natsu was still hoping that she could hear him. And even as he fell asleep at the foot of her bed with his hand resting on her ankle, he felt like he was with her.

That's when all hell broke loose in Natsu's mind, because something amazing happened.

Her foot twitched. Natsu suddenly jumped from his sleep and stared at the blanket-clad foot in shock. This can't be right. She's not awake. She can't be… Her foot twitched again. Natsu jumped up from the chair, and ignoring his cracking back, he tumbled around her bed and barely dodged slipping on the slick linoleum before smashing the nurse's button. A nurse with pooh-bear scrubs came barreling in, staring at him with a composed smile.

At least someone could be calm. Her mouth opened to ask what was wrong, but his frantic speaking beat her to it.

"I-she-her-uh-her foot; it twitched!" He finally stuttered out what he was trying to say, and the woman's eyes widened. She pressed a button on her pager and within minutes, the doctor was in here, touching Lucy's neck and turning her head from side-to-side.

"Her foot twitched?" The doctor asked, glancing over at the frazzled, pink-haired boy.

"Yes! It twitched twice!" Natsu promised, and as if on cue, a groan escaped the blonde's lips. Her arms lifted and she stretched, arching her back like a cat. Lucy's brown eyes slipped open for the first time since the summer. Her chocolate orbs immediately landed on Natsu.

"Natsu!" She smiled at him and reached out her hand, and Natsu latched onto it immediately, staring at her in complete and utter shock.

Even though they were surrounded by nurses and doctors, it was only Lucy and Natsu when he lurched forward and pulled her into a desperate kiss, to which she responded instantly. Breaking their lips apart, he pressed his forehead to hers and let a tear trail down his cheek, even though his smile was big. Lucy wiped away the tear and flashed a grin at him.

"You know, I had the weirdest dream," She commented, earning a strange look from him.

"Oh yea?"

"Yeah – you were singing that song my mom used to sing for me, except it was different. Sadder. And the lyrics were changed. But it was beautiful." She murmured, and she spaced off for a few minutes as she recalled his heartbreaking voice. Natsu's onyx eyes filled with tears and he suddenly buried his face in her neck.

"Lucy, I love you. So much," Lucy blushed and put a hand on his head, but he pulled back and stared into her eyes seriously. "Marry me." Lucy's eyes widened and she stuttered.

"Seriously?!" She asked, choking on a giggle, but Natsu's face was completely sober. Sensing his uncharacteristic seriousness, she nodded.

"Of course I'll marry you, idiot!" She laughed, and Natsu's face broke out into one of the most beautiful smiles she's ever seen. His hand snaked around her neck and he pressed himself to her in heartbreakingly cute hug. Happy suddenly crawled over Natsu's back and onto Lucy's collarbone, nuzzling against her neck.

"Happy!" She cooed, ducking her head around Natsu's and kissing the cat's head, who purred in response. The doctor and nurses frowned.

"Why is there a cat here?"

But Natsu and Lucy ignored them. The reignited flame was cuddling against his beautiful, golden winter.

* * *

_Okay this was a total drabble I wrote it in like an hour. I really don't know what went on here, but whatever! *Throws the story to the readers* you all deal with it! Reviews are seriously like my drugs – I can always use more. Anyways, thanks y'all and I love everyoneenenene! I'm off to get a cup of coffee – until next time!_

_Oh and my poetry/song really sucked – had no rhythm in my opinion, but I hope you liked the story despite the bad poetry! And I threw in that little "Fairy Tale" for laughs. xD_


End file.
